1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for transferring electric components used for providing an electric circuit (e.g., an electronic circuit), and a method and an apparatus for exchanging component holders in the transferring apparatus, and particularly to the art of improving the efficiency of exchanging of the component holders.
2. Related Art Statement
There is known an electric-component (xe2x80x9cECxe2x80x9d) transferring device which includes one or more holders such as a suction nozzle which sucks and holds an EC by applying a vacuum (i.e., negative air pressure) thereto. The EC transferring device may be employed as an EC transferring and mounting device in an EC mounting system. The EC transferring and mounting device receives one or more ECs from an EC supplying device of the EC mounting system, transfers the ECs, and delivers the ECs to an object such as a printed circuit board (xe2x80x9cPCBxe2x80x9d) as a sort of circuit substrate or a sort of EC receiving member. The delivering of the ECs to the PCB means the mounting of the ECs on the PCB. Thus, the EC transferring and mounting device functions as not only an EC transferring device but also an EC mounting device.
There are known an EC transferring device which includes only one holder and which transfers ECs, one by one, using the single holder, and an EC transferring device which includes a plurality of holders and which transfers a plurality of ECs, at one time, using the plurality of holders. In either case, the single holder, or each of the plurality of holders, is detachably attached to a holder chuck. The single holder, or the plurality of holders, is or are selected from various sorts of holders, depending upon the sort or sorts of ECs to be transferred. Therefore, when the current sort or sorts of ECs are changed to a different sort or sorts of ECs, the current sort of single holder, or the current sorts of holders, is or are changed to a different sort of holder, or different sorts of holders, corresponding to the different sort or sorts of ECs.
In the above-indicated background, it has been known an EC transferring device including a holder chuck to which a holder is detachably attached, and a holder exchanging device which holds a plurality of holders and which exchanges one of the holders held thereby, with the holder held by the holder chuck. The holder exchanging device includes a plurality of holder holding portions each of which holds a holder such that the holder is removable therefrom. The holder held by the holder chuck is exchanged with one of the holders held by the holder exchanging device, as follows: First, the holder held by the holder chuck is held by an empty holder holding portion of the holder exchanging device, and a holder held by a different holder holding portion is held by the empty holder chuck. In a particular case where a holder other than the holders held by the holder exchanging device is needed, one of the holders held by the holder exchanging device is manually exchanged with the holder needed, by an operator.
However, it is cumbersome for the operator to exchange each of the holders held by the holder exchanging device, with a different holder. As the number of holders to be exchanged increases, the operator""s work and time needed to do that increases. For example, it is assumed that in an EC transferring and mounting device including a holder exchanging device holding a number of holders, a current sort of PCBs are changed to a different sort of PCBs and accordingly current sorts of ECs corresponding to the current sort of PCBs are changed to different sorts of ECs corresponding to the different sort of PCBs. In the case of the above transferring and mounting device, an operator must exchange a number of holders held by the holder exchanging device, with a number of different holders corresponding to the different sorts of ECs corresponding to the different sort of PCBs. This work is cumbersome and time-consuming. Moreover, it needs a long time period in which ECs cannot be mounted on PCBs. Thus, the EC transferring and mounting device suffers from a low EC-mount efficiency. Regarding an EC transferring device including a single holder chuck to which a holder selected from various holders is detachably attached, it is cumbersome for an operator to exchange the holder held by the holder chuck, with one selected from th e various holders, if the frequency of exchanging of holders is high.
It is usual that a holder exchanging device is provided in, or near to, an EC-transfer area defined by an EC transferring device, in order that the holder exchanging device can quickly exchange holders with a holder chuck. However, there are many peripheral devices or members around the EC transferring device and accordingly an operator must do his or her work in a narrow space with a low working efficiency.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electric-component transferring apparatus which can easily exchange component holders.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a component-holder exchanging method which can easily exchange component holders.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a component-holder exchanging apparatus which can easily exchange component holders.
The present invention provides an electric-component transferring apparatus, a component-holder exchanging method, and a component-holder exchanging apparatus which have one or more of the technical features that are described below in respective paragraphs given parenthesized sequential numbers (1) to (17). Any technical feature which includes another technical feature shall do so by referring, at the beginning, to the parenthesized sequential number given to that technical feature. Thus, two or more of the following technical features may be combined, if appropriate. Each technical feature may be accompanied by a supplemental explanation, as needed. However, the following technical features and the appropriate combinations thereof are just examples to which the present invention is by no means limited.
(1) According to a first feature of the present invention, there is provided an electric-component transferring apparatus including a plurality of component holders each of which holds an electric component, and having the function of exchanging the component holders, the apparatus comprising a holder chuck which holds each of the component holders such that the each component holder is removable therefrom; a chuck moving device which moves the holder chuck to transfer the electric component held by the each component holder held by the holder chuck; a holder holding member which holds the component holders such that each of the component holders is allowed to be removed therefrom; a holding-member holding device which holds the holder holding member such that the holder holding member is removable therefrom; and a holder-exchange moving device which moves at least one of the holder chuck and the holder holding member relative to each other so that the holder chuck exchanges one of the component holders that is held thereby, with another of the component holders that is held by the holder holding member. Suction nozzles each of which sucks and holds an electric component (xe2x80x9cECxe2x80x9d) by applying vacuum thereto are preferably used as the component holders. However, other sorts of component holders may be employed, such as component holders each of which includes a plurality of holding claws which are opened and closed to hold an EC. The chuck moving device may be embodied in various manners. For example, the chuck moving device may be one which includes an intermittent-rotation body which is intermittently rotatable about an axis line and which supports a plurality of holder chucks such that the holder chucks are equiangularly spaced from each other about the axis line at a predetermined spacing angular pitch equal to a predetermined intermittent-rotation angular pitch at which the rotation body is intermittently rotated; and a rotating device which intermittently rotates the rotation body at the intermittent-rotation angular pitch so that the holder chucks are sequentially stopped at each of a plurality of stop positions. The chuck moving device may be one which includes a plurality of rotary members which are rotatable about a common axis line, independent of each other, and which supports a plurality of holder chucks, respectively; and a rotary-motion applying device which applies, to each of the rotary members, a rotary motion which assures that the each rotary member is rotated by 360 degrees about the common axis line, is stopped at least one time during each full rotation, and keeps a predetermined time difference from each of its preceding and following rotary members. The holder chucks supported by the rotary members are sequentially stopped at least one time together with the corresponding rotary members. The axis line of rotation of the above-indicated intermittent-rotation body or the common axis line of rotation of the rotary members may be vertical, or may be inclined relative to a vertical plane. Each of the holder chucks supported by the intermittent-rotation body or the rotary members may be moved by an axial-direction moving device in an axial direction parallel to the axis line of rotation or the common axis line of rotation. The chuck moving device employed by the EC transferring apparatus according the first feature (1) comprises this axial-direction moving device. The intermittent-rotation body or the rotary members which supports or support the holder chucks may be moved by an X-Y moving device such as an X-Y robot to an arbitrary position on a horizontal plane. The chuck moving device of the apparatus according the first feature (1) comprises the X-Y moving device. The chuck moving device may be one which includes a movable member which is movable in at least one of two directions perpendicular to each other on a plane and on which at least one holder chuck is provided; and a moving device which moves the movable member. The holder chuck may be moved, on the movable member, in a direction intersecting the one direction. The movable member may be moved along a straight line, a curved line, or a combination of those lines. In the present EC transferring apparatus, when component holders are exchanged, at least one of the holder holding member and the holder chuck is moved relative to each other by the holder-exchange moving device, so that component holders are exchanged. In the case where one or more component holders different from those held by the current holder holding member are needed, the current holder holding member is exchanged with a different holder holding member. Since the current holder holding member is held by the holding-member holding device such that the holding member is removable from the holding device, the current holder holding member can be exchanged with a different holder holding member. A plurality of component holders held by the current holder holding member are simultaneously exchanged with a plurality of other component holders, by exchanging the current holder holding member with a different holder holding member. Thus, the present EC transferring apparatus assures that component holders are exchanged more easily and more quickly than a prior apparatus which just allows component holders, one by one, to be attached to, and detached from, a holder holding device. The holder holding member removed from the holding-member holding device may be carried to a position distant from the EC transferring apparatus. Thus, the component holders held by the holder holding member removed may be exchanged with other component holders not in a narrow space surrounded by the elements of the transferring apparatus, but in a wide space distant from the apparatus. Thus, the holder-exchange efficiency is improved. Moreover, the holder holding member which is held by the holding-member holding device such that the holding member is removable from the holding device, may be selected from a plurality of holder holding members. In the latter case, each of the plurality of holder holding members can be commonly used with each of respective holding-member holding devices of a plurality of EC transferring apparatuses of a single sort or different sorts.
(2) According to a second feature of the present invention that includes the first feature (1), the holder chuck holds each of the component holders, with a holding force, such that the holder chuck allows the each component holder to be removed therefrom when a force greater than the holding force is applied to the each component holder in a direction in which the each component holder is moved away from the holder chuck, and the apparatus further comprises a holder-removal inhibiting member which is attached to the holder holding member such that the holder-removal inhibiting member is movable to an operative position thereof where the inhibiting member inhibits each of the component holders from being removed from the holder holding member and to an inoperative position thereof where the inhibiting member allows the each component holder to be removed from the holder holding member; and an inhibiting-member moving device which moves the holder-removal inhibiting member to each of the operative and inoperative positions thereof. When the component holder held by the holder chuck is returned to the holder holding member, the holder-removal inhibiting member is moved to its inoperative position where the inhibiting member allows the holder chuck to place the component holder on the holder holding member, and subsequently is moved to its operative position where the inhibiting member inhibits the component holder from being removed from the holder holding member. When the holder chuck is moved in a direction away from the component holder, the component holder receives a force greater than the holding force of the holder chuck, in a direction in which the component holder is moved away from the holder chuck. Thus, the component holder is removed from the holder chuck. The holder-removal inhibiting member in its operative position helps the component holder removed from the holder chuck. Generally, the holder-removal inhibiting member in its operative position inhibits each of the component holders held by the holder holding member, from being removed from the same. More specifically described, the holder-removal inhibiting member may be a cover or a shutter which is normally held at its operative position where the cover or shutter covers and protects the component holders held by the holder holding member and which is moved to its inoperative position when one of the component holders is removed from the holder holding member. In the case where a main function of the inhibiting member is to inhibit each of the plurality of component holders from being removed from the holder holding member, the inhibiting member may be just required to do so and accordingly it may be one which includes a plurality of holder-removal inhibiting portions provided at respective positions corresponding to the plurality of component holders held by the holding member. On the other hand, in the case where a main function of the inhibiting member is to protect each component holder, it is preferred that the inhibiting member be one which as largely as possible covers each component holder held by the holding member. In the latter case, for example, the inhibiting member may be a plate-like member which has a plurality of openings each of which has a dimension slightly larger than the largest dimension of each component holder. It is preferred that the inhibiting member be moved by the inhibiting-member moving device in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the holder chuck removes each component holder from the holding holding member, i.e., in a direction parallel to the plane on which the plurality of component holders are held by the holder holding member. In a particular case where the holder holding member and the holding-member holding device are provided between a printed-circuit-board (xe2x80x9cPCBxe2x80x9d) conveyor and an EC supplying device, the holder-removal inhibiting member may be moved to each of its operative and inoperative positions in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the PCB conveyor and the EC supplying device are arranged. In the last case, it is not needed to widen the distance between the PCB conveyor and the EC supplying device, for the purpose of allowing the inhibiting member to be moved to each of its operative and inoperative positions. Thus, an EC mounting system including the EC transferring apparatus, the PCB conveyor, and the EC supplying device can enjoy a simple construction.
(3) According to a third feature of the present invention, there is provided a method of exchanging a plurality of component holders in an electric-component transferring apparatus which includes a holder chuck which holds each of the component holders such that the each component holder is removable therefrom, the transferring apparatus transferring an electric component held by one of the component holders that is held by the holder chuck, the method comprising the steps of preparing at least two holder holding members, causing each of the at least two holder holding members to hold at least two of the component holders such that each of the at least two component holders is allowed to be removed therefrom, causing a holding-member holding device to hold at least one of the at least two holder holding members such that the at least one holder holding member is removable therefrom, exchanging the one component holder held by the holder chuck, with another of the component holders that is held by the at least one holder holding member held by the holding-member holding device, and exchanging the at least one holder holding member held by the holding-member holding device, with at least one of the holder holding members that is not held by the holding-member holding device, so that the at least two component holders held by the at least one holder holding member that is held by the holding-member holding device are exchanged with the at least two component holders held by the at least one holder holding member that is not held by the holding-member holding device. At least one of the two or more holder holding members may be held by the holding-member holding device, so that the component holder held by the holder chuck may be exchanged with one of the component holders that is held by the at least one holder holding member held by the holding-member holding device, and at least one different one of the two or more holder holding members may be kept at a position away from the holding-member holding device. An operator may exchange one or more component holders held by the holder holding member or members kept away from the holding device, with one or more different component holders which is or are needed for mounting ECs on a different sort of PCBs. In the latter case, when the EC transferring apparatus needs the one or more different component holders, the one or more holder holding members held by the holding-member holding device is or are exchanged with the one or more holder holding members kept away from the holding device. Thus, a plurality of component holders are simultaneously exchanged with a plurality of other component holders, all at once.
(4) According to a fourth feature of the present invention that includes the third feature (3), the step of exchanging the one component holder held by the holder chuck, comprises automatically exchanging the one component holder held by the holder chuck, with the another of the component holders that is held by the at least one holder holding member held by the holding-member holding device, and the step of exchanging the at least one holder holding member held by the holding-member holding device, comprises manually exchanging the at least one holder holding member held by the holding-member holding device, with the at least one holder holding member that is not held by the holding-member holding device. Since the current component holder held by the holder chuck is automatically exchanged with one of the component holders held by the holder holding member, the automatic EC transferring operation of the EC transferring apparatus can be carried out substantially continuously. The holder holding member held by the holding-member holding device is manually exchanged with the holder holding member that is not held by the holding-member holding device, for example, when the current set-up of an EC mounting system is changed over to another set-up because the current sort of PCBs are changed over to another sort of PCBs. Changing the current set-up over to another set-up includes, e.g., changing the PCB-convey width of a PCB conveying device of the EC mounting system. Since changing the PCB-convey width is performed while the EC mounting operation is stopped, there arises no problem with the operator""s manual exchanging of the holder holding members.
(5) According to a fifth feature of the present invention that includes the fourth feature (4), the step of exchanging the one component holder held by the holder chuck, comprises operating, for moving the holder chuck relative to the at least one holder holding member, a chuck moving device which is for moving the holder chuck and thereby transferring the electric component held by the one component holder held by the holder chuck. Since the holder chuck is moved relative to the holder holding member held by the holding-member holding device, by using the chuck moving device which is primarily provided for moving the holder chuck and thereby transferring the electric component held by the component holder held by the holder chuck, the cost needed for exchanging the component holders can be reduced as compared with the case where an exclusive holder-exchange moving device is employed for exchanging the component holder held by the holder chuck, with another component holder held by the holder holding member.
(6) According to a sixth feature of the present invention that includes the fifth feature (5), the step of exchanging the one component holder held by the holder chuck, further comprises moving the holding-member holding device to move the at least one holder holding member held thereby, relative to the holder chuck. There are some cases where the movement of the holder chuck by the chuck moving device does not suffice for exchanging the component holders. Even in those cases, it may be possible to exchange the component holders by utilizing additionally the movement of the holding-member holding device, without modifying the chuck moving device.
(7) According to a seventh feature of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for exchanging a plurality of component holders in an electric-component transferring apparatus which includes a holder chuck which holds each of the component holders such that the each component holder is removable therefrom, the transferring apparatus transferring an electric component held by one of the component holders that is held by the holder chuck, the apparatus comprising at least one holder holding member which holds at least two of the component holders such that each of the at least two component holders is allowed to be removed therefrom; and a holding-member holding device which holds the holder holding member such that the holder holding member is removable therefrom. The holder holding member is removably held by the holding-member holding device. Therefore, the plurality of component holders held by the holder holding member can be simultaneously exchanged with a plurality of necessary component holders, by exchanging the holder holding member held by the holding-member holding device, with another holder holding member holding the plurality of necessary component holders.
(8) According to an eighth feature of the present invention that includes the seventh feature (7), the holding-member holding device holds the holder holding member such that the holder holding member is removable therefrom without using any tools. Since the holder holding member is holdable to, and removable from, the holdingmember holding device, without having to use any tools, the holder holding member can be easily and quickly attached to, and detachable from, the holding device. However, the holder holding member may be attached to, and detached from, the holding device, with the help of a fixing member or device, such as a bolt and a nut, which involves the use of a tool such as a wrench.
(9) According to a ninth feature of the present invention that includes the eighth feature (8), the holding-member holding device comprises a holding-member supporting member having a holding-member supporting surface which supports a supported surface of the holder holding member; a positioning device which positions the holder holding member in a direction parallel to the holding-member supporting surface; and a moving-away preventing device which prevents the holder holding member from moving away from the holding-member supporting surface.
(10) According to a tenth feature of the present invention that includes the ninth feature (9), the positioning device comprises a stopper which engages two portions of the holder holding member that are distant from each other in a direction parallel to the supported surface, and which inhibits translation of the holder holding member in a direction in which the holder holding member engages the stopper, and inhibits rotation of the holder holding member in a direction parallel to the supported surface; and a parallel-direction biasing device which biases the holder holding member toward the stopper in a direction parallel to the holding-member supporting surface.
(11) According to an eleventh feature of the present invention that includes the tenth feature (10), the moving-away preventing device comprises a moving-away preventing member which engages, in vicinity of the stopper, an engagement surface of the holder holding member that is opposite to the supported surface thereof; and a perpendicular-direction biasing device which applies, in a direction in which the supported surface of the holder holding member is moved toward the holding-member supporting surface, a biasing force to one of opposite end portions of the holder holding member that is opposite to the other end portion thereof which engages the stopper.
(12) According to a twelfth feature of the present invention that includes the eleventh feature (11), the stopper and the moving-away preventing member are integral with each other.
(13) According to a thirteenth feature of the present invention that includes the twelfth feature (12), the stopper and the moving-away preventing member comprise two headed pins which are fixed to the holding-member supporting member at two positions which are distant from each other in a direction parallel to the holding-member supporting surface, and the two portions and the engagement surface of the holder holding member comprise two notches which are formed in the holder holding member and which engage respective axial portions of the two headed pins, and two surfaces which surround the two notches, respectively. The notches may be U-shaped or V-shaped. It is preferred that the two notches be ones which inhibit, in the state in which the two notches are engaged with the respective axial portions of the two headed pins, the holder holding member from being translated in a direction in which the two notches are distant from each other and in a direction in which the notches approach the pins when the notches engage the respective axial portions of the same.
(14) According to a fourteenth feature of the present invention that includes any one of the eleventh to thirteenth features (11) to (13), the parallel-direction biasing device and the perpendicular-direction biasing device are provided by a single biasing device which produces a biasing force having a first direction component to bias the holder holding member toward the stopper and a second direction component to bias the holder holding member toward the holding-member supporting surface.
(15) According to a fifteenth feature of the present invention that includes the fourteenth feature (14), the single biasing device comprises a main member which is attached to one of the holding-member supporting member and the holder holding member, an engaging member which disengageably engages an engageable portion of the other of the holding-member supporting member and the holder holding member, and an elastic member which is provided between the main member and the engaging member. The main member, the engaging member, and the elastic member may be provided on the holding-member holding member, and the engageable portion may be provided on the holder holding member, or vice versa. In the former case, a smaller number of element or elements is or are provided on the holder holding member, and accordingly the present exchanging apparatus enjoys a lower cost than an exchanging apparatus in which each of a plurality of holder holding members is selected and used with a single holding-member holding device, and is provided with its own main member, engaging member, and elastic member.
(16) According to a sixteenth feature of the present invention that includes any one of the seventh to fifteenth features (7) to (15), the exchanging apparatus further comprises a holder-removal inhibiting member which is attached to the holder holding member such that the holder-removal inhibiting member is movable to an operative position thereof where the inhibiting member inhibits each of the component holders from being removed from the holder holding member and to an inoperative position thereof where the inhibiting member allows the each component holder to be removed from the holder holding member; and an inhibiting-member moving device which moves the holder-removal inhibiting member to each of the operative and inoperative positions thereof. The explanation made for the second feature (2) applies to the present, sixteenth feature (16).
(17) According to a seventeenth feature of the present invention that includes the sixteenth feature (16), the exchanging apparatus further comprise an inhibiting-member biasing device which is provided between the holder holding member and the holder-removal inhibiting member and which biases the holder-removal inhibiting member to the operative position thereof. In the state in which the holder holding member is not held by the holding-member holding device, the holder-removal inhibiting member is held at its operative position by the biasing force of the inhibiting-member biasing device. Therefore, the inhibiting member inhibits each of the component holders held by the holder holding member from being removed from the same. That is, since the component holders are prevented from coming off the holder holding member even in the state in which the holding member is not held by the holding-member holding device, the operator can easily handle the holding member.